AP Photo by Elaine ThompsonPeople wait in line to enter a job fair Tuesday in Seattle. Washington's unemployment rate rose to 9.4 percent in May.

Syracuse, NY--About 40 percent of the people who have been laid off themselves, or are a significant other to someone who has lost a job feel that it was a blessing, according to a new survey by SnagAJob.com.

"Whether or not you see it coming, finding out that you have been laid off can be difficult, and it can seem like the end of the world," said Shawn Boyer, CEO of SnagAJob.com, a Web site for hourly jobs, and author of the new book Help Wanted & Help Found: The insiders' guide to recruiting and hiring hourly workers.

"But as this survey bears out, there is often a silver lining. What is important is that you seize the opportunity to make the most of it, and quite frequently, it compels you to make choices you might have been reluctant to make all along, " he said.

The survey found that among the blessings experienced:

27 percent laid off since December 2007 said they found a better job.

49 percent said they used the time off to reconnect with family and friends.

28 percent said it better prepared them for the next obstacle that life throws their way.

62 percent said they feel they now know how to get by with less.

For 21 percent losing their job was the push for them to go back to school.

And 16 percent said they are now pursuing the career they've always wanted.